Queen Vashti Defies King Xerxes
1-2 From his royal throne in Persia's capital city of Susa, King Xerxes ruled 127 provinces, all the way from India to Ethiopia.
3 In the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his officials and administrators. The armies of Persia and Media were present, as well as the governors and noblemen of the provinces. 4 For six whole months he made a show of the riches of the imperial court with all its splendor and majesty.
5 After that, the king gave a banquet for all the people in the capital city of Susa, rich and poor alike. It lasted a whole week and was held in the gardens of the royal palace. 6 The courtyard there was decorated with blue and white cotton curtains, tied by cords of fine purple linen to silver rings on marble columns. Couches made of gold and silver had been placed in the courtyard, which was paved with white marble, red feldspar, shining mother-of-pearl, and blue turquoise. 7 Drinks were served in gold cups, no two of them alike, and the king was generous with the royal wine. 8 There were no limits on the drinks; the king had given orders to the palace servants that everyone could have as much as they wanted.
9 Meanwhile, inside the royal palace Queen Vashti was giving a banquet for the women.
10 On the seventh day of his banquet the king was drinking and feeling happy, so he called in the seven eunuchs who were his personal servants, Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas. 11 He ordered them to bring in Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown. The queen was a beautiful woman, and the king wanted to show off her beauty to the officials and all his guests. 12 But when the servants told Queen Vashti of the king's command, she refused to come. This made the king furious.
13 Now it was the king's custom to ask for expert opinion on questions of law and order, so he called for his advisers, who would know what should be done. 14 Those he most often turned to for advice were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan—seven officials of Persia and Media who held the highest offices in the kingdom. 15 He said to these men, “I, King Xerxes, sent my servants to Queen Vashti with a command, and she refused to obey it! What does the law say that we should do with her?”
16 Then Memucan declared to the king and his officials: “Queen Vashti has insulted not only the king but also his officials—in fact, every man in the empire! 17 Every woman in the empire will start looking down on her husband as soon as she hears what the queen has done. They'll say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to come to him, and she refused.’ 18 When the wives of the royal officials of Persia and Media hear about the queen's behavior, they will be telling their husbands about it before the day is out. Wives everywhere will have no respect for their husbands, and husbands will be angry with their wives. 19 If it please Your Majesty, issue a royal proclamation that Vashti may never again appear before the king. Have it written into the laws of Persia and Media, so that it can never be changed. Then give her place as queen to some better woman. 20 When your proclamation is made known all over this huge empire, every woman will treat her husband with proper respect, whether he's rich or poor.”
21 The king and his officials liked this idea, and the king did what Memucan suggested. 22 To each of the royal provinces he sent a message in the language and the system of writing of that province, saying that every husband should be the master of his home and speak with final authority.
Ombara oserekaze Vasṱi ma nyengura Kerkes
1 Ombara Kerkes wa honaparera otukondwa esere nomirongo vivari na hambombari twomahi mOsusa, otjihuro ohongora tja Persie, okuza kOindie nga kOetiopie. 2 Neye tja za nokurira ombara, 3 mombura oitjatatu youhona we otja tjitira ovahongore novanane ve ozohongora avehe omukandi. Ovahongore vovimbumba vyovita vya Persie novya Medie opu va ri, na wina ozongooneya, novaingona votukondwa. 4 Oure womieze hamboumwe okuura Kerkes wa raisa outumbe wouhona we nongongo nounene nouwa wawo auhe.
5 Kombunda yomayuva nga, ombara ya tjitira ovandu avehe, ovatumbe novasyona, omukandi motjihuro ohongora Susa. Omukandi mbwi wa kara oure wotjivike atjihe, nu wa tjitirwa movikunino vyondjuwo youhona. 6 Orupanda rwondjuwo youhona rwa harekerwe nomarapi omatjizikize nga ungurwa nozosepa ozondovazu nozombapa. Ozo za kutirwe nozongoze zorupera oruserarovazu kozongoho ozosilveri, nu za turikirwe kozongunḓe zomawe omavapa omahuze. Ovihavero vyomasuviro mbya ungurirwe potusepa twongoldo nosilveri vya tuwa morupanda rwondjuwo youhona, ku kwa vandekwa ouwe ouvapa ouhuze, nouwe ouserandu nouserarovazu oukeṋakeṋe. 7 Omanuwa aaye yandjerwa movinwino vyongoldo, atjihe tji tja sana peke; nombara ya yandja omavinu wayo omengi ngaa e ha manuka. 8 Kapa ri omatjaerero komavinu; ombara ya rakiza ovakarere vondjuwo youhona kutja omundu auhe a pewe pu pe ṱa otja puma vanga.
9 Moruveze tjingero ndo ombara oserekaze Vasṱi tjandje wina ma tjitire ovakazendu omukandi mondjuwo youhona.
10 Meyuva oritjahambombari romukandi wayo, ombara ya nwine tjinene nai nyanda; notji ya isana ovakarere vayo hambombari ozombondo, okutja oMehuman na Biseta na Harbona na Bigta na Abagta na Setar na Karkas. 11 Oyo ye ve rakiza kutja ve hitise ombara oserekaze Vasṱi, ngunda a twako ekori re rouhona. Ombara oserekaze ya ri omukazendu omuwa omumanise momuhapo, nombara ya vanga okuraisa ouwa womukazendu ngwi kovahongore na kovaṋangwa vayo avehe. 12 Nungwari ovakarere mba tji va karaera ombara oserekaze Vasṱi inga omarakiza wombara, oserekaze otji ya panḓa okuya. Nu ihi atji pindikisa ombara.
13 Nambano imbwi wa ri omuhingo wombara okuningira ondunge kozonongo moviṋa vyomatwako novyousemba; oyo otji ya isana ovayandjandunge vayo mbu mave tjiwa kutja mape sokutjitwa vi. 14 Imba kaa pura ondunge, va ri Karsena na Setar na Admata na Tarsis na Meres na Marsena na Memukan, ovahongore hambombari vOvapersie novOvamedie mba ri moviungura vyokombanda mouhona. 15 Oyo ya tja nai kovarumendu mba: “Ami, ngu mbi ri ombara Kerkes, mba hindire ovakarere vandje kombara oserekaze Vasṱi nomarakiza worive; noyo ya panḓa okukara nonḓuviro ku wo! Omatwako maye tja oserekaze ndji i sokutjitwa vi?”
16 Memukan arire tja tja nai kombara na kovahongore vayo a tja: “Ombara oserekaze Vasṱi ka yambururire ombara porwayo, nungwari wa yamburura ovahongore vombara wina, novarumendu avehe mouhona! 17 Omukazendu auhe mouhona tja zuu otjitjitwa hi ma utu okunyengura omurumendu we, tjinga amave tja nai: ‘Ombara Vasṱi tje hi nonḓuviro komurumendu we, ongwaye eṱe tji matu sokukara nonḓuviro kuye?’ 18 Ovakazendu vovahongore vouhona wa Persie nowa Medie tji va zuu otjikaro tjoserekaze ombara, mave karaera ovarumendu vawo, eyuva ngunda ari hiya hita. Ovakazendu koṋa akuhe kave nokukara nondengero kovarumendu vawo, novarumendu mave ṱomazenge novakazendu vawo. 19 Omuhona ombara tji ma vanga, nga yandje erakiza rokutja Vasṱi ngaa munika komurungu wombara rukwao. Erakiza ndi nga ri tjangwe membo romatwako wa Persie nowa Medie kokutja ari ha rundururwa ko. Tjazumba u yandje ousemba wokurira ombara oserekaze komukazendu warwe omusemba pu ye. 20 Erakiza roye ndi tji ra tjivisiwa mouhona auhe mbwi, omukazendu auhe otji ma zara omurumendu we nondengero ombwa, nangarire kutja omutumbe poo omusyona.”
21 Ombara novahongore vayo va tjaterwa i ondunge ndji; nombara otji ya tjita otja Memukan pe i raera. 22 Oyo ya hinda ombuze kotukondwa atuhe mouhona we, meraka na momatjangero worukondwa ndo, ndji mai tja nai: “Omurumendu auhe ma sokurira omuhona monganda ye omuini, nu ma sokuhungira otja ngu nouvara.”
